Talking About Patreon

June 01, 2018Patreon U Team

As a creator on Patreon, you will often be asked to explain what Patreon is to your community of fans, potential patrons, and the occasional Lyft driver. This is a great time to get people excited about the idea of Patreon and give you a golden opportunity to get a new patron. 😉

When we meet creators and tell them about the opportunities on Patreon, we tell them Patreon powers membership businesses for creators of all kinds. We give you the tools you need to acquire and manage patrons, while helping you gain sustainable, ongoing income.

This is how we would explain this to you, but not necessarily how you would explain it to your fans.

What your audience, fans and friends want to hear is what Patreon really means for your life… and what it means for them. Tell them why you’re setting up a membership business, and what you’ll be able accomplish with this sustainable income. Tell potential patrons what they’d get by joining your community on Patreon, and why it matters to you.

💡 Remember: You are providing something of value to your fans! You should never feel like you need to come from a place of neediness. Your fans want to help you succeed, and your biggest, most excited and passionate fans are happy to pay you in exchange of the awesome stuff you’re creating. Skip any passive expressions like “give me” and “donate” and use empowering, exciting language such as “join me” and “if you loved this, check out more at…” to really welcome your fans into your inner circle.

“I don’t have to go out on the road and play in bars,” he said. “I can be a father and I can be a husband. This normalizes my career. It normalizes the career of being an artist, which has never been normalized.” - Peter Hollens, NYT

You should also talk about what a potential patron gets out of joining your community on Patreon. The fact is, membership allows creators to turn a community of their most passionate fans into paying subscribers in exchange for additional access, exclusivity, and engaging experiences.